Report: Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 2

Trossard opened the scoring with his first touch after coming off the bench before Partey beat Villa keeper Emi Martinez from the edge of the box to seal the points.

Villa had looked like the more likely team to break the deadlock until Trossard’s strike with Ollie Watkins missing a first half sitter.

The England international was then denied by a brilliant David Raya save after Amadou Onana’s deflected strike had hit the bar.

Analysis

That moment turned out to be the most pivotal of the match, coming at a time when Villa were on top.

But Unai Emery’s team could not find the breakthrough and instead it was Trossard who made the instant impact after replacing the ineffective Gabriel Martinelli off the bench.

Martinez, who this week signed a new five-year contract, will then have been disappointed not to have kept out Partey’s 77th minute strike, which effectively killed the contest.

It proved to be an off-day for both of Villa’s main men with Watkins having missed a simple chance to break the deadlock in the first half, somehow sidefooting wide with the goal gaping.

Both he and Martinez will have more good days than bad this season and while the final result was disappointing, Villa’s performance for the first three-quarters of the match should not have dampened too much optimism around Emery’s team.

The finishing of Watkins, who experienced a shortened pre-season due to his exploits with England at Euro 2024, was not the only thing looking rusty around Villa Park.

Supporters were subjected to queues of up to 45 minutes to get into the ground as the club’s new digital ticketing system experienced a few teething problems.

The match ultimately kicked off five minutes late due to a problem with the communication between referee Michael Oliver and VAR.

Emery named an unchanged XI from the one which started the opening weekend’s win at West Ham but was forced into an early change when Matty Cash pulled up, 18-year-old Kosta Nedeljkovic coming off the bench for his Villa Park debut.

Villa would have trailed before the sub made his appearance were it not for Martinez, who pushed Bukayo Saka’s curling shot round the far post.

It was a fine save, yet Villa’s key man at the other end of the pitch, was nowhere near so sharp.

Leon Bailey did well to pressure Gabriel into losing possession but when Morgan Rogers squared to Watkins, the striker pulled his finish wide from no more than 10 yards out. England caretaker boss Lee Carsley, watching from the stands, looked unimpressed.

In truth, the moment summed up scrappy work from both teams in the final third.

At the other end of the pitch, Kai Havertz could not adjust his feet in time to turn Jurrien Timber’s cross toward goal.

For Villa, Rogers caught the eye and lifted the crowd with some driving runs but could not find the killer pass when it mattered.

You felt the game needed a goal and only the brilliance of Raya prevented Villa from getting one 10 minutes into the second half.

Onana’s strike from 20 yards out hit Gabriel and then the ground before looping over the keeper and striking the bar. Watkins looked certain to score the rebound but somehow Raya recovered his feet and produced a flying save to keep out the header.

Rogers was looking imperious on the ball and another strong run resulted in another near miss for Villa, Gabriel diving in to deflect his shot just wide.

Chances were coming now for the hosts, Ezri Konsa the next to go close when he helped Lucas Digne’s free-kick back across goal and again agonisingly wide.

But Arsenal had also gone close when Saka latched on to Odegaard’s pass and was unable to finish and it was they who took the lead midway through the half.

Arterta’s decision to bring on Trossard paid instant dividends when the Belgium international stroked the ball into the far corner, Villa having been unable to cut out Saka’s pull back.

Emery had introduced Jacob Ramsey and Jhon Duran at that point but they were unable to create the same magic as at West Ham a week previously and with 13 minutes to go it was the visitors who doubled their lead.

Saka was again involved, picking out Partey on the edge of the box. Martinez should have saved the shot but the ball crept under him at the near post.

Key Moments

67 GOAL Leandro Trossard puts Arsenal ahead with his first touch after coming off the bench, firing home Bukayo Saka’s pull back.

77 GOAL Thomas Partey doubles Arsenal’s lead. Emi Martinez gets a hand to his shot but cannot keep it out.

Teams

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash (Nedeljkovic 16), Konsa, Torres, Digne (Maatsen 76), Onana (Barkley 76), Tielemans, Bailey, Rogers, McGinn (Ramsey 65), Watkins (Duran 65) Subs not used: Carlos, Nedeljkovic, Buendia, Philogene, Gauci (gk).

Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber (Calafiori 79), Odegaard, Rice, Odegaard, Saka (Nelson 88), Havertz, Martinelli (Trossard 67) Subs not used: Nketiah, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Ramsdale (gk).